Applied sectional structure for cushioning wall surfaces



y 1958 J. M. MONTEFALCO 2,833,001

APPLIED SECTIONAL STRUCTURE FOR'CUSHIONING WALL SURFACES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEY y 6, 1958 J. M. MONTEFALCO 2,

APPLIED SECTIONAL STRUCTURE FOR CUSHIONING WALL SURFACES Filed June 20, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR May 6, 1 J. M. MONTEFALCO 'APPLIED SECTIONAL STRUCTURE FOR CUSHIONING WALL SURFACES Filed June 20, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR United States Patent APPLIED SECTIONAL STRUCTUREFOR CUSHIONING WALL SURFACES Jack M. Montefalco, Shelton, Conn., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The B. F. Goodrich Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of'New York Application June 20, 1952, Serial No. 294,560

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-4) This invention relates to cushioned walls particularly as a feature of interior builcli'ngconstruction and particularly concerns improved ways, means and material for cushioning the walls of rooms designed for special uses, such as gymnasiums, or the boundary wall of a play field in a manner to reduce danger of injuryjtozpersons such as basketball players running or thrown thereagainst.

In initial installations, as well as when replacing wall cushioning structure, it is desirable that undamaged portions of the structure need not be disturbedin order to repair or replace some localized spot in the cushioning which may have become damaged or torn. It is of further advantage to prefabricate' as much as possible of the cushioning structure before it is brought to the job-"and installed.

One object of the present invention is to, provide ways i and means of constructing wall cushioning in separate interchangeable sections which'can be transported and installed as prefabricated independent, units by working entirely from the front of the unit; and which can in like manner be removed and replaced as separate units when inneed of repair;

A further object'is to incorporate in each of such. sections a unitary cushioning body or pad that is covered by a thin, tough, flexible sheeting throughout such. of its area as is subject to distortive blows or wear.

A further object is to make use -of such sheetingas means for attaching the cushioning pad fixedly and permanently against a stilf mounting panel, .and to assemble the panel and pad'in such way' that the panel can be mounted removably on either a conventionalor an'especially prepared wall surface While united with. its cushioning pad. v

A further object is to enable the rnounting panel to be held against the upright surface. of a wall. or other support structure by means that. are concealed: whenthe sections are assembled in edge to. edge flush relation against. the wall. 7

A particular object is to enable such cushioning, section to be hung independently and detachably against the wall surface in the manner of a picture'frame so as to be easily removed and replaced Without the use of tools.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be clear in greater particular from thedescription of preferred embodiments of the invention which follows, such description having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a wall area partly wainscotedv with Seetional cushioning structure according tov the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows oneof the cushioning sections of Fig. 1 in process of being. prefabricated on a work table.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing on an'enlarged scale an. initial. preparation in the prefabricationofthe cushioning sections.

Fig. 4 shows the cushioning pad laid on the preparation of Fig. 3 as in Fig. 2.

Patented. May 6., 1958 Fig. 5 is' a, contracted view showing, the sheeting wrapped about the cushioning pad in a manner to secure it permanently to :the mounting panel.

Fig. 6 shows an'edgeto edge junction of two completed cushioning sectionsv fastened to the wall and is a view taken in section on the plane 6-6 in Fig. 1. v

7 is exploded view of abutting panel edges and one type of fastening, means for holding the sections to the'wall.

Fig. 8 shows the edge of one sheet-covered resilient cushioning pad temporarily lifted for giving access to the underlying fastening means of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view of modified sectional cushioning structure embodying the invention.

Fig. 10 is a'view taken in section on the plane 10-10 in Fig. 9.

Figs. 11; 12 and 13 are, respectively, enlarged views showing details of mounting construction in section on the respective planes 11-11, 12-12 and 13-13 in Fig.9:

Fig. 14 is a perspective view drawn on a reduced scale looking at the rear or mounting face of the cushioning section of Figs. 9 to 13.

Fig; 15 illustrates the manner of hanging the cushioning'sections of Fig. 14 on specially prepared wall surface.

In Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, the topsurface 1.2.of' a work table is being used during fabrication of the improved cushioning section'to support a stiff mounting panel 14' that maybe plywood; wall board or other suitably stitf but pierceablenon Warping material. A longmargin 24 of panel 14, that is'to be vertical when installed, is then overlapped by the correspondingly long margin of" a flexible sheet 16 1 of tough substantially non; stretchable waterproof material 16, preferably a vinyl plastic of a grade weighing approximately 22 ounces per square yard such as Terson, believed to be a registered, trademark of the Athol Manufacturing Coof Athol, Massachusetts; p

Tire-major portion ofsheet 16 drapes over the edge of the table'surface in" Figs. 2, Band 4 during the permanent clamping down of its marginagainst mounting panel iebya continuous stiff metal strip 18 fastened topanel'14- by screws 20-. The parts are then related as shown in Fig. 3."

Afterone margin ofsheet 16 has been secured'thus'to the mounting'panel a-composite pad 22 of resilient compressible' impact absorbing reboundable material such as sponge rubber and/or rubberized hair is laid on the' panel with one ofits margins 26overhanging the edge- 24 of the panel l and overlyingjthe' margin of'sheeting lfi thatis secured to panel 14by strip 18. The parts are then related asshown in Fig. 4-.

PadZZ is shown tobe a two-ply slab in which lamina 47 is a resilient thicknessof rubberized curled animal hairof the character proposed in U. S. Patent No. 1,906,028 bonded'and/or otherwise secured inall-over broadside surface contact with a thick lamina 49 of resilient cellular rubber. The physical properties "of a cushioning pad so composed may be such that compression'of the pad to 25% of its thickness requires a compressing-pressure of only about two to five pounds per square inch. 7 l

The rubberized hair lamina 47 can be cemented to V8 thick plywood panels 14'each measuring preferably about two feet by-six feet, and the sponge rubber lamina can be cemented to the rubberized hair lamina in allover broadside surface contact therewith. In addition, lamina 47 maybe tacked or staked to the plywood panel- 14} by staples 29 and both laminae 47 and'49 can be tack'ed or stakedito the polywood by staples or broaded headed nails 31 piercing both laminae and indenting the sponge rubber lamana 49 to form a tapering depression. Preferably such depression will be filled flush witha rubber plug 27 cemented in place therein to preserve a continuous smooth broadside outer surface on the pad.

With pad 22 in such position, the drooping portion of sheet 16 is lifted and folded over the left edge 26 of the pad and laid across the entire top surface of the pad and then drawn down against the right edge 28 of the pad. Then the other margin 30 of sheet16 is fastened directly against mounting panel 14 close to the junction of pad edge 28 with'panel 14 by suitable fastening means such as staples 32 driven through the sheeting into the panel. The parts are then related as shown in Fig. 5. This leaves both edges of pad 22 covered and protected by sheet 16 which serves to bind the right margin 28 of the resilient pad closely against panel 14 while its left margin 26 remain s free to be temporarily lifted away from the panel by distorting edge 26 of the pad as shown in Fig. 8. The pad will resume its original straight shape automatically when released.

The construction of the cushioning section shown in Figs. .1 to 8, inclusive, enables each section to be mounted individually as a unit against any upright wall surface 42 even if the wall has only a plain plaster surface. This can be accomplished by ordinary wood screws such as 34 shown in Fig. 7 each of which preferably will be used with a washer 36 having a countersunk hole 38 to accommodate the flat head of the wood screw flush with the surface of the washer. Screws 34 passthrough the washers 40 and between adjoining edges of the abutting panels 14 as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. They may obtain a hold on the wall by screwing merely into the plaster 42 or they may be long enough to enter a stud or a latch behind the plaster. If preferred, and as shown in Fig; 6, the screws may enter horizontal furring strips 44 secured to the exposed surface of the plaster. 'This will provide a desirable small airspace between the panel 14 and the I plaster'surface of the wall.

A more elaborate preparation of a room wall for accommodating the ready installation and replacement of a modified form of cushioning sections without the use of tools is illustrated in Figs. 9 to 14, inclusive. In this form of the invention pad 22' may be constructed and arranged much as in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive. In covering it with the tough flexible covering sheet 16 the latter as shown in Fig. 13 can have one of its margins stapled to the front face of the short bottom margin 45 of mounting panel 14 in the general manner hereinbefore described with reference to the vertical margin 24 of panel 14 in Fig. 5. This adapts the bottom margin 45 of each panel to be seated in groove 46 formed by a rabbet in the base board 48 of the room wall. To permit this bottom margin of the panel to enter groove 46 the entire thickness of the top edge of the modified cushioning section is given room to rise and fall in a a space 50provided by horizontal retaining rails forming a capping 52 secured to the horizontal furring strips 54 of the wall as shown in Fig. 11.

Figs. 11 and 14 show that the cover sheet 16 in the construction of the modified cushioning section may be folded not only over the edge of the resilient pad 22 but over the edges of panel 14 as well and then turned inward so as to overlap the rear surface of the mounting panel 14'in passe partout fashion along all edges of the section except the bottom short edge 45. The special manner of fastening the cover sheet at the short edge 16' is hereinbefore described. To enable the cover sheet 16' to bind the edges of the complete cushioning section ineluding its mounting panel protectively as described, the width of pad 22 will preferably just equal the width of panel 14' so that all edges of the pad, except its bottom short edge, are in register with the corresponding edges of the mounting panel.

Figs. 12, 14 and 15 show the horizontal furring'strips 54 made use of to permit the anchoring and support thereon of the modified construction of cushioning section in a more convenient manner not requiring tools. For this purpose the horizontal furrring strips 54 are spaced forward from the front surface of the wall plaster 56 by means of vertical furring-strips 53. This provides space for two pairs of metal clips 60, permanently secured by nails'or screws 61 to the rear surface of the panel 14, to be hooked over and hung upon the horizontal furring strips 54 as shown in Figs. 10, 12 and 14 by a manner of handling illustrated in Fig. 15 much as one would hang a picture on a wall. A'rubber shim strip such as 55 about 1%" wide by /2" thick can be tacked to the horizontal furring strips 54 and intervene between the same and the plywood panel,14' yieldably to take up play between the furring strip and the overhanging hook ends of the metal clips 60.

The foregoing and many other modifications are possible within the broad principles of the improvements taught by the disclosures hereof and the appended claim is directed to and intended to cover all equivalents and substitutes for the exact constructions shown that come fairly within the broadest interpretation of their terms.

I claim:

Sectional structure for cushioning the whole of a con-' tinuous lateral extent of wall surface, comprising in combination with a prefabricated wall and a plurality of prefabricated unitary cushioning sections assembled in mutually contacting edge-to-edge abutment at the front of the wall surface, means removably to fasten said sections to said wall in immobilized relation to one another, each of said sections comprising a body of highly compressible resilient cushioning material having opposite fiat broadside faces and flat lateral edge faces meeting at least one of said broadside faces at substantially right angles where by to form a sharp linear corner, a rigid mounting panel having a broadside surface facing and secured to the opposite flat broadside face of said body and having at least one margin projecting edgewise beyond one of said edge faces of said body into outboard relation thereto, and having an opposite margin overhung by an opposite marginal portion of said body for enabling all outboard margins of said panels to be overlapped and concealed by said cushioning bodies of respectively adjoining sections, and a non-stretchable highly flexible sheet of tough material tightly hugging one broadside face and also said edge faces of said body of cushioning material and drawn tightly over said sharp lineal square corner at the junction of said broadside face and edge faces.

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